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Tuesday, 10 January 2012

Bataille de l'ennuyeuse bières brunes

Beggars can't be choosers and I am grateful really. So let's attack the beers left over from Christmas.

Last night was Marstons Pedigree and tonight it's the turn of London Pride, in the Battle of the Middle of the Road Brown Bitters (AKA the title they all want to win).I first rated Pedigree way back in February 2004 and it's fair to say I wasn't very impressed. However, whilst by rights I should view Pedigree even more harshly now (what with all those extra beers under my belt); if anything I feel a smidge of tenderness towards this ponging beast. The bonus of last night's bottle was that Pedigree is now 5%, so at last it's a bit warming and masks the lack of finesse. It's still not great though.

Fullers London Pride is a slightly sexier brand than Pedigree, but is a very similar horse. When I rated it back in 2003, I don't think I really knew what I was on about.

Nowadays, where Ped is clunking, fizzy and furred like a honey drizzled doormat; Pride is thin, toasted and honey riddled, like a maple glazed rich tea biscuit. Yes, the differences are that distinct.

Pride probably just edges it, but neither of these fellows deserve to share my bed chamber on a regular basis.

On a more general note, I have a soft spot for Marstons due to their Burton on Trent heritage; while Fullers score points for having a pub in Birmingham - the Old Joint Stock, which is a grand affair indeed. I would certainly go there more often than I do, if only the price of a pint wasn't the same a second hand Fiat Cinquecento.

Sorry, no photos tonight either, but honestly, you all know what these beers look like, so you don't need any visual clues.

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Not every beer drinker is lucky enough to live in Huddersfield or Ilkeston... some of us have to live in modern, vibrant, metropolitan Birmingham - Englands second city.
I'm here as a rep of the middle ground: someone who knows what good beer is, but has to fight like billio to get hold of it.